Compositions containing and methods of using 1-aminoindan and derivatives thereof and process for preparing optically active 1-aminoindan derivatives

A method for treating dementia in a subject comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR12## or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof;
• wherein
• n is 0 or 1;
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, halogen, nitro, --NH--R.sub.11, --C(O)--R.sub.11 or --C(O)--NR.sub.9 R.sub.10, wherein
• R.sub.11 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 C.sub.4 alkyl, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, and
• R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 are each independently hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, or indanyl;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy;
• R.sub.4 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, or --C(O)--R.sub.6,
• wherein R.sub.6 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkly, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl;
• R.sub.5 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, or A--NR.sub.9 R.sub.10, --Y--C(O)--R.sub.7 or --Y--(SO2)NR.sub.9 R.sub.10,
• wherein A is substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, and
• R.sub.9 and R.sub.10 are each independently hydrogen, substituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, or indanyl;
• Y is substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl, and
• R.sub.7 is hydrogen, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.6 -C.sub.12 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 aralkyl.